tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post1580492794432371376..comments2016-03-09T11:32:05.283-05:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: REVIEW: Eldritch Weirdness, Book OneJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43785459265521890122008-07-03T22:44:00.000-04:002008-07-03T22:44:00.000-04:00Pettiforgers, unite! ;->I'll have to dig the .pdf ...Pettiforgers, unite! ;-><BR/><BR/>I'll have to dig the .pdf up over the long weekend, Matt :D<BR/><BR/>Allan.grodoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800184312511280050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25695406880396735542008-07-03T12:13:00.000-04:002008-07-03T12:13:00.000-04:00I am placated. I hesitate to mention it, but ther...I am placated. I hesitate to mention it, but there are those who hint that you are merely a slanderer and a blatherskite, and it reassures me to learn otherwise.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615194097431562045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27035004102811146522008-07-03T11:51:00.000-04:002008-07-03T11:51:00.000-04:00D-Did you just call me a pettifogger?Not at all, g...<I>D-Did you just call me a pettifogger?</I><BR/><BR/>Not at all, good sir. Why, perish the thought! Your perspicacity and erudition in matters of dweomercraft are well known and respected by all! Those few naysayers who call you a charlatan and a bounder whose opinions can be bought by venal and ignorant men are not to be trusted. Indeed, it pains me even to mention their baseless remarks in this forum, but I do so because I am devoted to the truth and the dispelling of error, a cause I know full well you share with me, however much some whisper otherwise.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-11267447950218285492008-07-03T11:40:00.000-04:002008-07-03T11:40:00.000-04:00JamesD-Did you just call me a pettifogger?And sinc...<I>James</I><BR/>D-Did you just call me a pettifogger?<BR/><BR/>And since my comments so far have served mainly to worsen the signal-to-noise ratio, here's another possibility for <I>infuse: infusing </I>a specially prepared flask of wine allows the magic-user to cast (an) additional spell(s) when the liquid is drunk. However in so doing he or she risks not only drunkeness but a chance of <I>wand of wonder</I> style magical mishaps.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615194097431562045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43753322224615435692008-07-03T10:52:00.000-04:002008-07-03T10:52:00.000-04:00J Mal, if by mentioning "Pettifoggery" you were al...<I>J Mal, if by mentioning "Pettifoggery" you were alluding to the rules for such in the Dying Earth roleplaying game, you win.</I><BR/><BR/>Partially correct. I was alluding to Vance's <I>Dying Earth</I> stories, which is where I believe I first encountered the word. However, it's a nice, if obscure, English word to describe pedantic quibbling and I like to use it whenever it seems appropriate.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43114234548281697452008-07-03T03:11:00.000-04:002008-07-03T03:11:00.000-04:00Hm, "usually not very useless" --> "usually not ve...Hm, "usually not very useless" --> "usually not very useful", of course<BR/><BR/>MelanelGaborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85808440549368423922008-07-03T03:09:00.000-04:002008-07-03T03:09:00.000-04:00I picked up the PDF as soon as I saw this blog pos...I picked up the PDF as soon as I saw this blog post; that is, sooner than I read more than the first two paragraphs of the review.<BR/><BR/>First, the art and title font choice is reflective of Photocopied Old School without being unduely fetishistic, which is a Good Thing.<BR/><BR/>Second, this is very good value for the money, since, reading the printed document, I found 15 spells which I will immediately incorporate into my game. In comparison, the number for White Wolf's Relics and Rituals, an otherwise interesting volume, was "nil". There will be changes in name (thus, for example, Beast of Chaos will become Ylam-Ylam's Viscous Transformation, and The Magpie The Gainful Eye) and content, but the concepts are of course the thing.<BR/><BR/>On Infuse, here is my proposed version:<BR/>This spell infuses liquids with a single random characteristic of a selected object (1d8):<BR/>1) colour<BR/>2) smell<BR/>3) purpose<BR/>4) density<BR/>5) taste<BR/>6) intellectual level<BR/>7) perfect replication within (form only)<BR/>8) alignment, including morality/ethics [usually not very useless, unless you REALLY want something like a goat-aligned bottle of drink]<BR/>Only a singular characteristic may be incorporated into a given liquid. An unwilling, conscious subject may roll a saving throw to avoid the infusion process.<BR/><BR/>To Twilight of Thieves, I'll also add "10% probability of 1d3+1 hostile shadows and 2% of hostile shadow demon lurking within."<BR/><BR/>MelanelGaborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-18369490834572590152008-07-02T19:55:00.000-04:002008-07-02T19:55:00.000-04:00Hmmm, infuse a liquid with magical properties whil...Hmmm, infuse a liquid with magical properties while not making it a potion? I can think of lots of uses:<BR/><BR/>-Make water glow. You've got an instant lantern that won't burn out.<BR/><BR/>-Make water flamable. Those orcs fording the river towards you are now standing in a death trap waiting for your torch.<BR/><BR/>-Make water thick and goopy. Cast it on the raging rapids your friend just fell into, toss him a rope and pull him out.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07130831351237667189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-16962159486683434992008-07-02T17:40:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:40:00.000-04:00I got a copy of the Dying Earth Game, signed by Ja...I got a copy of the Dying Earth Game, signed by Jack Vance, by winning a Vancian Spell Description competition Pelgrane Press hosted at ENworld some time ago. One of my most prized possessions. Also, actually, relevant to this thread. Wow.Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-6543431585585908352008-07-02T17:34:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:34:00.000-04:00J Mal, if by mentioning "Pettifoggery" you were al...J Mal, if by mentioning "Pettifoggery" you were alluding to the rules for such in the Dying Earth roleplaying game, you win.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262472490580424119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-52479156042799479252008-07-02T17:12:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:12:00.000-04:00Huh. I assumed I'd written "buy low, sell high." ...Huh. I assumed I'd written "buy low, sell high." I write notes to my future selves in case I ever discover that I'm actually just the hero in a Philip K. Dick novel.Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-73039506894512071162008-07-02T17:09:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:09:00.000-04:00Matt wrote, then deleted (courtesy gmail comments ...Matt wrote, then deleted (courtesy gmail comments feed): "Dude, I've made like $11 just from selling this booklet - and I'll probably eventually make double that. Life is sweet when you've cracked the code." <BR/><BR/>IT'S MAGIC!!!Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615194097431562045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25028430756205424262008-07-02T17:07:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:07:00.000-04:00That was my deleted comment above. I figured out ...That was my deleted comment above. I figured out how to make money writing gaming materials, but then I accidentally hit delete. Darnit, I wish I remembered what I said.Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-61199465213489784422008-07-02T17:04:00.000-04:002008-07-02T17:04:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-89125666610664085012008-07-02T16:58:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:58:00.000-04:00Matt, I wish I could make money at this. If you kn...Matt, <BR/><BR/>I wish I could make money at this. If you know the secret of how to do so, please share it with me.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-30176176714554103982008-07-02T16:52:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:52:00.000-04:00That's a long tagline: "only at Grognardia can you...That's a long tagline: "only at Grognardia can you get free gaming products by engaging in pettifoggery with their authors in my comments." You might want to go with something like, "Cleans dice brighter," or "Bigger, longer comments," or "Make money."<BR/><BR/>Ahem. Sorry. On to further commentary about the booklet itself. The reading of which is guaranteed to improve eyesight and cure hangovers. :)Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76934634224574445422008-07-02T16:44:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:44:00.000-04:00Tell your friends: only at Grognardia can you get ...Tell your friends: only at Grognardia can you get free gaming products by engaging in pettifoggery with their authors in my comments.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22859694677316777182008-07-02T16:41:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:41:00.000-04:00Restless and Max, you can each also have a copy. ...Restless and Max, you can each also have a copy. But that's it! No matter how profuse or baroque the criticisms that follow may be, only the three of you shall receive free copies. For as it is said in the Book of Armaments, "Three shall be the number."<BR/>Matt<BR/>(email me, you guys, and I'll send)Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-84299550526928708962008-07-02T16:37:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:37:00.000-04:00Omar's Mistake is the STUPIDEST thing I've ever he...Omar's Mistake is the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard! <BR/><BR/>OK, Matt, ready for my free .pdf! No? Drat my inelegant denigration!<BR/><BR/>Japes aside, this sounds very interesting. As soon as I can save six quarters I'll be picking up a copy!Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07615194097431562045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86689520986574956322008-07-02T16:28:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:28:00.000-04:00You've got the eloquence to accuse me of aping an ...You've got the eloquence to accuse me of aping an old trend with a bit of added fetishistic extremism, and as a fan of Jack Vance, I salute you for your decisiveness of opinion and your eloquence of expression. I assume you're also intellectually desolated at having to base your opinion upon such a small part of the actual booklet. So I offer you the chance to peruse it in its entirety. Email me and I'll send you a copy of the full thing. mythmere at yahoo dot com.<BR/>MattMatt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5010120480863077242008-07-02T16:18:00.000-04:002008-07-02T16:18:00.000-04:00All I have seen so far has been the ones you can r...All I have seen so far has been the ones you can read on the Flashpaper preview on at Lulu, so I don't know about the <STRONG>Infuse</STRONG> spell, but I absolutely <EM>adore</EM> others on the list. They have a wonderful swords & sorcery flavor instead of the normal D&D flash-bang flair.<BR/><BR/>The one that really gets my juices flowing is <STRONG>Borrowed Time</STRONG>, raising a corpse from the dead for a brief period of time. Many wonderful stories could be brought to bear bringing back ancient kings, dead sages or fearsome warriors for a few days to complete some great task, or giving deceased PCs a chance to find a way to restore their life permanently. (It'd make a nice component for a ritual to create a revenant, as well.) This spell along <STRONG>Excruciating Cauterization</STRONG> are a very intriguing base for an alternative magical healing system that isn't dependent on clerical magic, if your aim is to make all magic more in the vein of sorcery.Restlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586442439173490257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-3833488668675053742008-07-02T14:58:00.000-04:002008-07-02T14:58:00.000-04:00""infuses liquids (usually prepared ones) with mag...""infuses liquids (usually prepared ones) with magical propensities and potentials. It does not, in and of itself, create potions."<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry, but this is just dumb. I'm hardly unable to appreciate how spells were handled in early D&D, where they didn't go into tiresome detail about exactly how many cubic feet your fireball took up or whatever, but this is just taking that tendency and attempting to clumsily ape it with an added dose of fetishistic extremism.<BR/><BR/>The fact is, D&D spell descriptions were never THAT vague. <BR/><BR/>"Magic Missile: This spell involves a missile of some kind. Also, magic."<BR/><BR/>"Sleep: This spell may or may not put some creatures to sleep, but does not, in and of itself, create slumber."<BR/><BR/>Gimme a break.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18403399118961902073noreply@blogger.com